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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. dip — to sink
  3. bound — obliged
  4. capital — money
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bound — certain
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. capital — a city
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. land — a country
  11. bound — tied together
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. land — to come down
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. current — of water
  21. land — ground
  22. current — happening now
  23. current — electric
  24. mouse — for a computer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com